Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-21
THE METROPOLITAN COMPANIES
TRACKS.
The Company Defends It's Night 20 DC.
cupy Certain Streets.

The District Commissioners have submitted to
the senate committee, In connection with their re-
port on the steam and street railroads, q state
ment from the president OF the Metropolitan Rail-
road company In reference to It's occupancy OF
certain streets and avenues. 1t Is stated that the
question OF the right Of the company to
use the particular streets and avenues not
included within the provisions of its orig
inai or amended charter is not a new
one. ''This company" says the report, "fully ap-
preciating the importance Of having all doubts
as to Its right to use its existing tracks author-
tatively settled and confirmed, and desiring that
its action conform, in all respects to the require
ments OF law, respectfully ask that the Commits
sioners in making their reply to the letter OF the
Of the 81 70
municated, and recommend that the right OF the
company to the use Of all the streets and avenues
and oonfmsa By APPROPRIATE ls s Il IS
submitted that under the existing circumstances
and conditions, and independent OF the pecuniary
Interests OF the public will be best promoted by
the recognition of the company's present
and Of the streets sns
statement is made that large sums or
money have been spent In perfecung the
about 20 miles Of single track for TRANSPORTATION.
over which cents Is the only fare, and that two
horse cars have recently been placed upon 1t In
on 18th street from PENNSYLVANIA avenue to CON-
nect1cut avenue, and on that avenue from the in
tersectl0n OF 18th street and Connecticut avenue
10 boundary, 1t Is claimed that the
rights OF the Metropolitan Railway thereon
were derived from the Connecticut avenue and
PARK Railway Co. by purchase and the assumption
OF It's debts. AS to the track on 9TH street ex-
tended, beginning at the point OF intersection of
Boundary street and Rockville turnpike and rum
ming TO the boundary line OF the District 1t Is as
serted Dy the Metropolitan iilway Co. that their
rights thereon were derived from the Boundary
and Silver Spring Railway CO. District Attorney
Riddle alleged in his recent report on this subject
to the Commissioners, that the act OF the
legislative assembly Incorporating the Bound
airy and Silver Spring Railway Company
was void because OF the provision or section "a OF
tine United states Revised Statutes relating to the
islative Assembly should not pass any special law
granting to any corporation, association or indi-
vdual any special or exclusive privilege, immunity
or franchise whatsoever"
The Metropolitan Co. take exception to the ale
CATION, and state at the time OF the passage OF
ating the B. & g. s. Railway CO.; it was not
supposed that the language quoIed inhibited
the Legislature OF the District from passing acts OF
Incorporation, like the one under consideration.
II was necessary, or at least desirable, that the
legislative intent should be more clearly expressed
and ON the 10Th or June, 1872, it was enacted so
the Metropolitan Company alleges, shat no fur-
Their street railroads shall be laid down in the city
OF Washington without the consent OF Congress-
In relation to the tracks on nth street, Con-
nectlcut avenue, street north and west High
street, Fayette street, Sd, now street, I'd, now
street. DumbartOn avenue, and on Montgomery,
now 18th street, the company claims that iG de.
which was Incorporated under the same act AS the
Boundary and Silver Springs Railway Company.